Dogs are people, just in different bodies. I’m convinced of it.
It’s very difficult for me to write this post and to not get emotional. My sweet, precious baby boy, named Bear, is sick. My 85-pound, fluffy, lively, beautiful Australian Shepherd has been refusing to eat normal amounts of food, become increasingly shaky and wobbly as he walks around, and is not acting entirely like his normal, spunky self. Lately I’ve been reminiscing, and can still remember holding his tiny body on the way home, smelling that hot puppy breath, and gazing into those 3-month old big brown eyes, and pondering how this ball of fur could bring so much joy and happiness to the life of a human.
And my heart is breaking. On one hand, I’m trying to trust and believe that He is in the hands of His Father, who loves and cares for him so very much. More than his Earthly caretakers ever could. But, on the other hand, I’m worried…I’m terrified. I’m hearing what the doctors are contemplating–can this condition be attributed to a genetic mutation found in Australian Shepherds, called MDR1? Or is this a neurological disorder, something he was born with, which would then be totally out of our control??
It hurts me deeply to see his sister, Bella, watch over him with concern and care. She knows that he is different. She knows he’s struggling. She continues to linger by his side, clean his ears, and watch his every movement, but she is even different–physically and emotionally–because of the condition of her greatest friend, her brother, the one that she loves.
Either way, through this experience, I’ve learned a whole lot about the condition of the human heart, and how God created us to care so deeply for others. It doesn’t matter whether those others are male, female, canine, feline, insect, whatever…we have a deep-seated, overwhelming, powerful desire to protect and to nourish the health and the lives of other organisms on this Earth.
But, the greater thing that I have learned, and what I deeply desire to share with all of you, is that sometimes I think we have to realize just how easily we take advantage of some moments in life. Just over a week ago, I was playing catch with Bear and his favorite ball, or rubbing his tummy, or getting annoyed with him as he barked loudly at the neighbors. But now, I would honestly give anything to have the old Bear back. As I look at him struggling to move properly, or walk straight, or eat the amount of food that will completely nourish him, I’m reminded that maybe way too often, we take simple daily moments for granted. Whether these moments are with our friends, our siblings, our parents, our pets, our students, or our acquaintances, I pray that we would understand just how special that each and every moment spent together truly is, and how it is not only our pleasure, but also our responsibility, to make the very most of the moments that we have in fellowship with others.
For all the moments of frustration that we encounter: the anger that comes over us when someone we love has betrayed us or let us down, or the child that has struck our last nerve, or the spouse that has deeply hurt us yet again, or the pet who has chewed our best pair of shoes, I encourage you to STOP. Breathe. Consider life without the guilty party. How would you feel if they were to disappear? To be gone in an instant? To become ill, or to leave, or to, at the worst, pass away? If we knew the future, would we live differently?
I guarantee you we wouldn’t become angry. We might chew on our words before we spit them out. We might ask for Christ’s guidance, or help, or strength to persevere and surrender our frustrations to be diffused. As I continue through my journey of life, I plan to plead with Christ to help me to live each and every moment with a sense of clarity, patience, and purpose, and remember so clearly that this present moment could vanish, in an instant.
Prayers for you and yours, that you would be reminded of the preciousness of a moment, from now until forever. And also, please pray for my sweet Bear, that Christ would embrace him in His loving arms, and heal his entire body.
Much love,
cait'scomments 